


Bond of Choice

by TheAsexualofSpades



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Fluff, GET IT, Gen, M/M, almost no plot here boyos it's just your average dragon family bonding time, can be platonic or romantic you decide, i'm hilarious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:16:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29769870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAsexualofSpades/pseuds/TheAsexualofSpades
Summary: It’s not as if they didn’t notice it, they just…didn’t think that it meant anything.And, really, doesn’t that just sum up their whole thing?
Relationships: Aithusa & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Aithusa & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 121





	Bond of Choice

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for the request! there's not enough baby dragon fluff in canon so *shrugs* someone's gotta do it

**Prompt:** Merlin and Arthur discover that Aithusa the dragon has an unusually special bond with Arthur, of all people! She loves Merlin of course, but always plays around and makes a ruckus with him. With Arthur, though, she is stoic and protective. She senses something about the prince that no one else can- what if Arthur inherited a type of magic from his birth that isn't like Merlins? It can't be controlled or summoned, but other beings can sense it and will come without him saying a word.

* * *

It’s not as if they _didn’t_ notice it, they just…didn’t think that it _meant_ anything.

And, really, doesn’t that just sum up their whole thing?

Merlin and Arthur _knew_ that Merlin got away with so much more than anyone else in Camelot, they _knew_ that Arthur was able to make truly _staggering_ leaps in logic when it came down to it. They knew that there wasn’t a single servant or guard in the castle who could hurt Merlin and get away with it. They knew that the knights were all ready to commit a coup should Arthur harm one hair on Merlin’s head.

But does that mean anything? _No,_ of course _not._

Anyways.

Aithusa is a bright young dragon. For such a small thing, her ability to move herself and control her own strength is impressive. Not that they have many other dragons to compare her to. Kilgarrah’s barely around as it is—something about the stench of Uther’s legacy gets under his scales, apparently—and, well…there are no more dragons. She carries no burden of her species, sniffing the air with the enthusiasm of a newborn and quickly taking flight into the still morning air.

Merlin sits back against the tree, his head tilting to watch Aithusia through the leaves. The field glows golden in the early morning, small tendrils of fog drifting up from the warming ground. They curl and dance around each blade of grass as she swoops low, letting the very tip of her snout skim their edges before diving back into the sky.

“She’s getting stronger,” he murmurs to himself as she coasts along a warm current of air, “and faster.”

“She’s beautiful.”

Merlin does _not_ squeal and jump in surprise. Arthur chuckles as he sits down next to a Merlin who is panting for an unrelated reason, thank you very much. He nudges the warlock’s shoulder.

“After all these years, you’ve still never learned how to pay attention, have you?”

“Oh, I’m paying attention,” Merlin retorts, rubbing his shoulder, “just not to _you.”_

“How dare you, I’m the most important thing here!”

“You keep telling yourself that, sire.”

“ _Mer_ lin!”

Merlin is saved from having to listen to another I-am-the-King-appreciate-me-you-dolt lecture by Aithusia crowing in delight as she spins upward. They scramble out from under the tree to see her wings spread wide, the light gleaming off her scales, through the translucent part of her wings. She looks down to them and dives, landing gently in front of Merlin and shuffling her paws.

“You’re getting better at flying, girl,” Merlin says quietly, scuffing his hand across her head, “and you look stronger.”

Aithusa rumbles contentedly.

“Yes, yes, I know, you’re doing much better now that we’ve got you out here, hmm?” Merlin chuckles as she pushes her head closer to him. “Alright, alright, I’m here.”

The dragon snuffles at his tunic and nudges her nose right into his belly, almost knocking him over.

  
“Hey, easy! I’m much lighter than you!” Aithusa huffs and keeps pushing. “ _Aithusa!_ ”

Arthur, the prat, takes a step to the left and turns to watch Aithusia bowl Merlin over onto the grass. The dragon rumbles happily and flops down onto the grass, her head planted firmly across Merlin’s stomach.

“Arthur!”

“Yes, Merlin?”

Merlin flails, trying to get out from under Aithusia’s head despite the fact that Aithusia very clearly does _not_ want to be moved right now. She simply purrs louder, the vibrations almost strong enough to make his teeth chatter.

  
“Help me!”

Arthur raises an eyebrow. “You certainly look comfortable.”

“I’ve been knocked over by a dragon, you prat.”

“Oh. So you have.”

“Are you going to help me up or not?”

He shrugs. “Don’t see why I should. She’s a good girl, she won’t hurt you.”

“She’s also quite _heavy,_ Arthur.”

“Come on, Merlin, you could do with a bit of exercise.”

“Exer—after running around the kingdom after _your_ royal arse all day, that’s enough exercise for a week!”

Arthur reaches out to stroke along Aithusia’s head, crouching down to make sure to scratch behind her ears. The dragon’s eyes close as the rumble gets even louder.

“ _Arthur!”_

“What?”

“Y-you’re making it worse?”

“Can’t you hear how happy she is, Merlin,” Arthur smirks, watching as Merlin starts trying to push at his shoulder, “why are you trying to make me stop?”

“It t-tickles!”

“Oh, well.”

“ _Arthur!”_

He chuckles, standing up. Aithusa lifts her head off Merlin’s belly, wondering where the pats went. She stares up at Arthur with—well, they’re not puppy-dog eyes if they’re on a dragon, are they?

“Come on,” Arthur says softly, “hop up, now.”

He half-expects Aithusia to flop back down and sulk for a few minutes. Instead, his mouth drops open as she gets to her feet and steps aside, her head bowed low.

Merlin sits up, eyes wide. Aithusa stands perfectly still, her wings tucked to her sides, gaze on Arthur. Arthur swallows, reaching out.

“Aithusa?”

The dragon huffs gently, reaching out to nose at his hand. After a moment, she gives it a lick.

“What…what just happened?”

“I don’t know.” Merlin gets up, crouching down in front of her and running his hand over her head. “I think there’s something magical about her.”

“Yes, well noticed.”

“Quiet, prat. I’m concentrating.”

“Oh, well, don’t hurt yourself.”

Merlin doesn’t take the bait, murmuring quietly to himself as he waves his hand over Aithusia’s snout. Her scales begin to shimmer, almost as if Merlin’s hand is another source of light. His eyes widen.

Invisible to Arthur, a stream of magic reaches from Aithusia’s chest to Arthur’s glowing softly in the morning light. As he watches, it winds its way around her wings, her paws, her snout, her tongue where it still laps at Arthur’s hand. It pulses gently, drawing them closer.

“Merlin?” Merlin blinks. Arthur’s staring at him. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, no,” Merlin says quickly, “no, uh, nothing’s wrong.”

Arthur rolls his eyes. “What is it, Merlin, it’s written all over your face, now tell me.”

“You’ve…um…”

“I’ve what?”

“You’ve got a bond,” he decides on finally, gesturing meekly between the two of them, “you’re magically connected.”

“I’m _what?_ ”

“Magically connected.”

“ _How?_ ”

“I don’t know!” Merlin throws his hands up. “I’ve never raised a dragon before, and neither have you, thank you very much.”

Arthur pouts, neglecting to answer and instead stroking Aithusia’s head again. The dragon rumbles, leaning her head into his hand almost as if she were a horse. A soft noise escapes as they watch her eyes drift closed.

“She’s…” Arthur swallows through a suddenly-dry throat as he holds the dragon’s head in his hand. “…she’s _bonded_ to me?”

“I don’t know how,” Merlin says, still staring at the line connecting them, “but…yes.”

Arthur sits hurriedly, cupping the dragon’s head in both of his hands. Her eyes blink open, staring at him with such a level of trust that it makes his head spin. He leans closer, stroking over the ridges of her eyes.

“You…we’re connected, huh, little one,” he murmurs, his palms growing warm, “isn’t that something?”

Beside him, he can feel Merlin’s magic grow stronger, feeding off the energy from the earth and the bond between the two of them. He reaches out and tugs Merlin closer, sitting him between them.

“She likes you,” Merlin says softly.

“Well, I’d hope so.”

“Not like how she likes me,” Merlin continues, patting the dragon’s wings. “She—well, I, um…she kind of _has_ to like me.”

“If you’re about to tell me you can make this dragon do anything it doesn’t want to—“

“First off, I’m perfectly likable—“

“That’s up for debate.”

“—and _second,_ I hatched her. I’m the last Dragonlord. We…” Merlin shrugs helplessly and rests his head against Aithusia’s flank. “Destiny decided we should be tied together.”

Arthur swallows, looking at the two of them. They make a good picture. Merlin is the greatest sorcerer to ever walk the earth. Aithusa is the last dragon. They fit together in ways that no other living things could ever hope to.

“But you…” Merlin looks at him with a smile. “You are my destiny.”

Something in Arthur’s chest glows warm. Merlin reaches out to tug him closer by his sleeve. He shuffles forward.

“You are mine,” Merlin says quietly, “and I am yours. Aithusa…Aithusa _chose_ you.”

Oh.

_Oh._

Arthur’s hands tremble on Aithusia’s face. The dragon huffs softly, blowing warm air onto their chests. He looks back at the dragon’s eyes. Warm, soft, a forest fire.

“I choose you too,” he says as firmly as he can, “and I…I hope to be worthy of it.”

“And see, that’s why we waited until you weren’t a prat anymore.”

“Are you saying I’m no longer a prat?”

“Oh, no, you’re definitely still a prat, just not as much of one.”

Aithusa snuffles, using her head to knock Merlin flat on his arse.

“ _Hey!_ ”

Arthur chuckles. “What was that about her having to like you?”

“ _You_ knock me about every chance you get and _you_ seem to like me just fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come yell at me on tumblr
> 
> https://a-small-batch-of-dragons.tumblr.com/


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